An air bag module for an automotive vehicle typically consists of a canister for containing a folded air bag and an inflator, and a door covering the open rear of the canister. The canister is secured to rigid vehicle support structure and the door is fitted in an opening in the instrument panel. One of the problems with present air bag modules is that the canister and door are fixedly connected together, so that it is not possible to make adjustments, even minor adjustments, in the position of the door to obtain a proper fit in the opening in the instrument panel.
In accordance with the present invention, the door is attached to the canister in a manner which will permit small adjustments. This enables the door to be fitted perfectly in the instrument panel opening.
In the construction about to be described, a floating connection is provided between the door and the canister. More specifically, the door has a bead disposed in a channel on the canister with a floating fit. The amount of float may vary, but a minimum of 2 millimeters is preferred. There may be two such channel and bead combinations.
In accordance with this construction, there is enough float to allow the door to be secured in proper position in the opening in the instrument panel and the canister to be rigidly attached to the vehicle support structure. The door may have integral pins along the top edge which fit into sockets provided in the instrument panel. The result is that the fit and finish of the door in the opening can be virtually perfect.
One object of this invention is to provide an air bag module having the foregoing features and capabilities.
Another object is to provide an air bag module and instrument panel combination which is composed of a relatively few simple parts, permits the door of the module to be fitted perfectly within the opening in the instrument panel, and is capable of being readily and inexpensively manufactured and assembled.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent as the following description proceeds, especially when considered with the accompanying drawings.